dimond



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. H. DIMOND.

TENSION RELEASING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES.

.No. 473,869. Patented Apr. 26, 1892.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

G. H. DIMOND. TENSION RELEASING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINE-S.

Patented Apr. 26, 1892.

@eogye Uivrrnn GEORGE H. DIMOND, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE VHEELER d: TI-LSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TENSION-RELEASING DEVICE FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,869, dated April 26, 1892.

Application filed November 25, 1890. Serial No. 372,673- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern; free from tension until after the needle-bar Be it known that I, GEORGE H. DIMOND, of and presser-bar have both been lowered. Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, State of Con- Other features of my invention will be herenecticut, have invented an Improvement in in described,and pointed out in the claims at Sewing-Machines, of which the following dethe end of this specification. scription, in connection with the accompany- Figure 1 is a side elevation, somewhat ing drawings, is a specification, like letters broken out, of a sewing-machine embodying and figures on the drawings representing like my invention sufficient to enable the same to parts. be understood; Fig. 2, a partial left-hand end [0 This invention has forits object to improve elevation ofthe machine shown in Fig. 1;Fig. and simplify the construction of that class of 3, a detail showing the needle-bar frame and sewing-machines more especially adapted for needle-bar; Fig. 4, a section in the line 00, Fig. overstitching, and my invention is shown as 3; Figs. 5,6, and 7, details of the segmental or embodied in a machine for over stitching eyevibrating arm; Fig 7 a detail of arm (1 Fig.

I 5 let-holes. 8, a partial under side view of the machine In order to enable the machine to be opershown in Fig. 1, the rear end of the lower ated rapidly and not distort the eyelet after shaft being broken off, the loop-taker, its being stitched and especially when moving guide, and devices between it and the disk at from one to the next eyelet, I have provided one end of the shaft B beingomitted; Fig. 9'

20' the machine with a tension-releasing mechanisasection in the line m Fig. 8. Fig. 10, a parism, so that when the presser-foot or worktial section showing the presser-foot or workclamp is elevated prior to changing the posiclamp and throat-plate with the feed-wheel; tion of the Work when working successive eye- Fig. 11, a partial section in the line 00 Fig. 8; let-holes the tension on the needle-thread is Fig. 12, a top or plan view of the throat-plate 25' relieved and is kept off until the presser-bar with the cap removed; Fig.13, a detail showhas been lowered and the needle-bar deing part of the usual feed-actuating devices scends to stitch the next eyelet-hole; or, in of the Wheeler&Wilson machinesgFig. 14,the

other words, the tension of theneedle-thread is pawl-carrier-actuating plate; Fig. 15, a parreleased by the act of raising the presser-bar tial section of the throat-plate, feed-wheel,

30 and is restored by the descent of the needleand part of the presser-foot or work-clamp; 8o

' bar when the needle has nearly reached the Fig. 16, a detailshowing part of the head, the lowest point to which it descends and when usual presser-foot lifting-lever, and part of such descent is preceded by lowering of the the presser-bar. presser-bar, so that there is no tension on the Referring to the drawings, the frame-work 3 5 upper thread at any time when slack thread consisting, essentially, of the bed-plate A, the is required, and thus liability to distort or overhanging arm A, and the head A is compucker the work is avoided. mon to the WVheeler 85 Wilson machine.

Myinvention therefore consists, essentially, The rotating needle-bar-actuating shaft B in a sewing-machine containingthe following in the overhanging arm is connected by a 40 instrumentalities, viz: aspring-controlled tencrank and link with a projection on a collar sion device, a needle-bar, and a presser-bar, 2, fast to the needle-bar B, having a needle each provided with a projection, combined 3, which, as herein shown, is adapted to rewith a tension-releasing device moved by the ciprocate in bearings of a needle-bar frame projection on the presser-bar as the latter is B adapted to swing about vertical pivots B 5 elevated into inoperative position, the conthe said frame being shown separately in struction and operation of the parts beingsub- Figs. 3 and 4.

stantially as will be described, whereby the The shaft B is connected by asuitable link Said releasing device, having been moved by or links B with cranks of and so as to rotate the rising foot, will remain in inactive posithe lower shaft B which in practice will be 50 tion and leave the needle-thread substantially made to actuate a short shaft having a bevel- 10o gear, which, through a beveled intermediate gear in engagement with a bevel-gear on a short shaft substantially at right angles to the shaft B and provided with a loop-taker driver, will rotate said shaft and its driver to rotate the loop-taker Gin a loop-taker guide G, all substantially as in United States Patent No. 419,541, dated January 14, 1890, to which reference may be had, and as the said parts are old and common further reference herein is considered unnecessary.

The rock-shaft E the link 13 having a loose stud or block 13 to enter a groove in the feed-actuating lever 13, fast on the short shaft B", the cam B for moving the lever B", the cam 13 at the opposite end of the shaft 13, the forked arm B fast on the rock-shaft B having the arm B and acting to lift the feed-bar B and the arm B of the rock-shaft B and jointed to the feed-bar to reciprocate it, are all substantially asin United States Patent No. 331,174, dated November 24, 1885, and in the Wheelerd: Wilson machines; but herein I have dispensed with the feed-point usually attached to the bar B and have attached to thesaid bar a plate a, (see Figs. 8 and 9,) the said plate, (see Fig. 14,) where the plate is shown by itself, having a hole a, to be de-- scribed.

The presser-bar 0, adapted to rise and fall in bearings forming part of the usual head of the overhanging arm, has fixed to its lower end a hollow cone-shaped presser-foot or lar feeding devices of the Wheeler 85 Wilson machine, I may employ any other usual .de-

vices for moving a feed-bar so that thesame shall have a reciprocating movement, the up and down motions of the feedrbar not being essential or necessary in connection with my invention.

In place of the usual throat-plate common to the Wheeler & WVilson machine, it being slotted for the passage of the needle and the usual feed-point, I have mounted upon the. machine, by a suitable screw in a hole 1), a

throat-plate a (Shown detached in Fig. 12.) This throat-platehas acirc ularorannular raceway a andat its center a hub a provided with a slot a through which the needle 3 passes. The throat-plate also has a guide way or groove of, in which is placed a pawlcarrier 12 having a pawl b which, as represented, is acted upon by a spring I), a stud b extended from the lower side of the said pawlcarrier, entering the hole a in the plate a. The slotted hub of the throat-plate receives a spur b, which is grooved, preferably, at one side to aid in guiding the needle, the spur being preferably sharppointed,so as to readily pass through the material or to enter an eyelet-hole previously cut therein. This spur has its base attached to the throat by screws 6, so that the spur may be detached and another one of a different diameter be applied to suit the particular sized hole to be left for the eyelet. The raceway in the throat-plate receives a feed-wheel 0, having its upper side concave (see Figs. 10 and 15) and provided near its edge with a series of points 0, preferably sharp, upon which is impaled the material in which the eyelet-hole is to be worked. As represented herein, the periphery of this feed- Wheel is provided With teeth, which are engaged intermittingly by the pawl b the latter thus rotating the feed-wheel step by step, retrograde motion of the feed-wheel being prevented by means of the detent 0 The feedwheel is retained in the raceway by means of a cap or guard 0 shown as applied to the top of the throat-plate and confined by proper screws 0". During the reciprocations of the bar B which in this instance is the source of motion for the carrier b the pawl 19 ismade toengage and rotate the feed-wheel step by step.

The needle-bar frame B has an car 17*, which receives a stud'screw d, upon which is placed loosely a block d, to which is jointed at d the link d the said link being connected by screws 01 in an adjustable manner with an arm d having a slide-block d, (see Fig. {7%) which block enters the groove 01 of the segment-lever e. The arm 01 referred to is slotted at d to receive the screws 01*, so thatby loosening the said screws the effective length of the link 01 may be alteredthat is, it may be made longer or shorter-so as to vibratethe needlebar frame more .or less, in order that the needle 3, carried by the needle-bar, shall in its passage through the material impaled upon the pins of the feed-wheel pass more or less near the center of rotation of the feedrwheel, such adjustmentenablingthe needle to penetratethe material just at the point where-the inner edge of the eyelet-hole is to appear, this adj ustment being made to adapt the stitching to eyeletholes of varying sizes. The length of the depth stitch produced by the vibration of the needlebar may be regulated by adjusting the slide- ITO block (1 in the slot of the segment-lever e, V

such adjustment being usual.

The segment-lever c has a stud e mounted in a suitable bearing on the arm A, and it also has a shoe e which enters the grooves of the switch-cam hub 13, the latter in its rotation vibrating the lever c. This levere and its actuating devices are in common use, and instead of the exact lever and switch cam shown I may employ any usual equivalent. The presser-bar collar, upon which rests the usual presser-bar spring, has a projecting stud e, and the needle-bar B has also a .collar provided with a stud f. The studse and f are extended out through slots in the faceas having its upper end wedge-shaped, so as to enter between the two usual disks 7 8, constituting the chief parts of the tension device, and thus release the thread from tension, the effective strength of the tension device being controlled by a spring 10 and nut 12 on a stud 13.

The inclination of the wedge-shaped end of the leverh, while sufficient to enter between and separate the tension-disks to release the needle-thread from tension, is not so great as to result in any tendencyof the disks to eject the lever from between them when not held up by the stud 011 the presser-bar. This tension device is of usual construction. The tension-releasing device it has a shoulder 7L2, and it also has attached toitaspring 14. The face-plate has a pin 15, which limits the movement of the tension release away from the tension device.

The head of the machine (see Fig. 16) has pivoted to it in usual manner a presser-footlifting lever 9, one end of which acts upon a projection 9, extended from the usual presserbar collar. hen an eyelet-hole has been finished, the operator engages the presserfoot-lifting lever g and raises the presser-bar in usual manner, so as to lift the presser-foot from contact with the material. As the presser-bar rises, the stud 6, carried thereby, meets the shoulder 7L2 of and causes the releasing device It to be turned or actuated to open or release the tension device, so that the needlethread is free to be drawn through the eye of the needle, while the presser-foot or workclamp is lifted and the material is being changed to bring another portion of the material where another eyelet is to be workedin proper position on the feed-wheel. When thereafter the presser-foot or work-clamp is permitted to descend upon the work and the machine is again started, the stud f of the needle-bar as it descends to penetrate the material meets the spring 14 and causes the tension-releasing device to be moved in the direction to effect the release of the tension device and enable it to again clamp the needle-thread, the latter being relieved from tension until such time as the projection on the descending needle-bar, the presser-bar having been first lowered, acts on the said spring. The employment of the spring 14: enables the operator, if she desires, the presser-foot being lifted, to turn the machine by hand and raise and lower the needle-bar Without withdrawing the wedge-shaped end of the lever from between the disks; but when the presser-foot has been let down then the contact of the projection with the spring will move the said lever and enable the tension device to act and hold the thread. The lever it having been moved by the lifting of the presser-foot to effect the release of the tension on the needlethread, the presser-foot may thereafter be lowered and raised, as desired, entirely independent of the lever h and without moving said lever to put tension 011 the needle-thread, and the lever will be moved away from the tension device only as the needle bar descends, and then only when the descent of the needle-bar is preceded by the lowering of the presser-foot.

In the drawings the head of the machineis provided with a slack-thread controller, consisting, essentially, of a wire m; but this slackthread controller need not be specifically described herein, as it is common to United States Patent No. 405,205, and to the Wheeler 85 Wilson machine. a

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the tension on the needlethread is released whenever the presser-bar is fully lifted and that thereafter so long as the presser-bar remains lifted the said thread is left free from tension until the needle-bar in its descent strikes the spring lat and moves the lever h, and thereafter the thread maybe freely drawn from the tension device through the eye of the needle.

It is customary to make eyelets in cloth at but a slight distance apart, and by employing an automatically-operating device to release the tension strain on the eyelet is avoided, its shape is better preserved, and speed of operation is also gained.

It will be understood in my invention that the feed-wheel has only a motion of rotation and by the pins at its sides constantly engages the material being stitched.

It is not intended to limit this invention to the exact form shown of presser-foot or workclamp to bear on andhold the material being stitched.

I have shown the tension-releasing mechanism as containing a lever operated in one dimotion by a lug upon the presser-bar and in the other direction by a lug upon the needlebar; but it is not intended to limit this invention to the exact construction of the parts forming the tension-releasing mechanism, as

the same may be modifiedin various ways by substituting other equivalent forms of device without departing from myinvention, asI am not aware, prior to my invention, that the tension-releasing mechanism has ever been operated in one direction by the presser-bar and in the other direction by the needle-bar.

I claim- 1. A spring-controlled tension device, anecdle-bar, and a presser'bar, each provided with a projection, combined with a tension-releasing device moved by the projection on the presser-bar as the latter is elevated into inoperative position, the construction and operation of the parts being substantially as described, whereby the said releasing device having been moved by the rising foot will remain in active position and leave the needle thread substantially free from tension until after the needle-bar and presser-bar have both been lowered.

2. A sewing-machine containing the following instrumentalities, viz: a thread-tension device, a needle-bar provided with a lug, a presser-bar provided with alug, and a threadtension-releasin g lever pivoted upon the head of the machine in position to be 'moved in one direction by the lug e on the presser-bar to release the tension on the needle-thread when the presser-bar is lifted and in the opposite direction by the lugfon the needlebar as it descends on the formation of a stitch to thus restore the tension on the needlethread, substantially as described.

3. In a sewing-machine, the face-platef', slotted at 30 and 31, the tension-releasing lever h, pivoted on the said face-plate, and the tension device, combined with the needle and presser bars, having lugs extended through the said slots and adapted to co-operate with the said tension release to operate substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a needle-bar and needle, and a presser-bar and tension device, of tension-releasing mechanism operated in one direction by or through the presser-bar to release the tension on the needle-thread and in the other direction by or through the needle-bar to rest-ore the tension on the needle-thread, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE H. DIMOND. Witnesses:

A. R. LACEY, 0. N. WORTHEN. 

